CONCORDIA, Kansas — The Cloud County Community College softball team wrapped up the home portion of its regular season schedule on Tuesday, earning a split with Hesston College on Sophomore Day.

Cloud County (18-16 overall, 10-8 KJCCC), which has now split in each of its last three doubleheaders, lost a tough 6-4 decision in Game One, but responded with a dominating 11-1 victory in five innings to conclude the day's action.

"It was very important to get that win in Game Two," said Cloud County head coach, Aaron Acree. "We've done that the last three doubleheaders. I'm not sure why we haven't come out and started strong in the first games, but I'm glad we've been able to bounce back."

The T-Birds cranked out 11 hits in just four innings, six of which went for extra bases. They opened the scoring with a three-run first inning, highlighted by an RBI single from sophomore Erin King and a double two batters later by freshman Nicole Dinkel.

Cloud then broke things open with a five-run second inning. Freshman outfielder Marissa Wright singled home her twin sister Madison Wright — each finished 2-for-2 in Game Two — and would score on a Samantha Shafer RBI single.

Freshman outfielder Autumn Adams doubled home Shafer and Dinkel added her second RBI single to balloon Cloud's lead to 8-0.

Freshman catcher Elise Oberlechner and Marissa Wright put the bow on the victory in the T-Birds' three-run third inning as Oberlechner led off with a missile to center field for her first home run of the season. Marissa would triple to drive in Madison for a second time and crossed the plate one batter later on a sacrifice fly from sophomore Jaycee Worrell to conclude Cloud's scoring.

In the circle, sophomore pitcher Bayleigh Cope evened her record at 5-5 overall and picked up her second straight win after going all five innings, allowing one run on five hits, and striking out four.

"Bayleigh is turning things around. She is throwing with a purpose," Acree said. "If she keeps attacking, make hitters put it in play, and hit her spots; she is pretty tough when she does that."

In Game One, a tight 6-4 loss to the Larks, Cloud County received multi-hit games at the plate from Marissa Wright, Worrell and King, but were done in by two errors on one play that opened the door for a three-run third inning.

An errant throw from short stop to first allowed a runner to reach, and a return throw from first base trying to nab a runner at third base rolled up the right-field line, allowing two runs to cross the plate for Hesston.

"Those mistakes have haunt us and we cannot do that," said Acree, referring to the errors. "We've got to overcome that someway, somehow. Good thing is that those are correctable."

The T-Birds tried to battle back, inching a run closer in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI triple by Worrell (3-for-4), but couldn't string enough hits together to overcome the early deficit.

Up next four Cloud County will be an important four-game stretch against Hutchinson Community College and Cowley College as the T-Birds try to remain in the top-six of the KJCCC East Standings and earn a first-round home playoff series.

"We have four conference games left and we're going to have to scrap and earn every bit of it," said Acree, alluding to the KJCCC Playoffs.  "If we can get at least two of the four games, I think we'll host."